How to Install SQL Server: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

If you’re just stepping into the world of database administration, learning how to install SQL Server is your first milestone. Whether you’re setting up a development environment or a production instance, this guide walks you through the SQL Server installation process—step by step.

✅ Pre-requisites Before You Begin

A Windows machine (Windows 10/11 or Windows Server)
Minimum 6 GB free disk space
.NET Framework 4.6 or higher installed
Admin privileges on the machine
Stable internet connection (for updates)

🛠️ Step-by-Step SQL Server Installation

Step 1: Download SQL Server

Go to the official Microsoft SQL Server downloads page
Choose Developer Edition (free & full-featured for learning)
Click Download now

Step 2: Launch the SQL Server Installer

After download, run the .exe file
Choose Basic or Custom installation
- Basic is faster and installs with default settings
- Custom gives more control—ideal for DBAs

Step 3: Accept the License Terms

Read and accept the license terms
Click Install

Step 4: Choose Installation Path

Default path is usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server
Ensure there’s enough disk space

Step 5: Feature Selection (for Custom Install)

Select:
- Database Engine Services ✅
- SQL Server Replication (optional)
- Full-Text and Semantic Extractions (optional)

Step 6: Instance Configuration

Default instance = MSSQLSERVER
Or name your instance if you plan multiple installs

Step 7: Server Configuration

Choose the service account settings
- Keep default (use Windows accounts) for learning
- For production, assign dedicated domain accounts

Step 8: Database Engine Configuration

Select Authentication Mode: Mixed (SQL + Windows Auth) ✅
Set a strong ‘sa’ password
Add yourself as an SQL Server admin

Step 9: Complete Installation

Review summary and click Install
Wait for installation to complete (~10–15 minutes)
You’ll get a success screen at the end

🧪 Verify the Installation

Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
Connect to your server:
- Server name: localhost or .\SQLEXPRESS
- Login: sa or your Windows user
Run a basic query: SELECT @@VERSION;

🔗 Related Article

10 Daily Tasks Every SQL Server DBA Should Master in 2025

📌 Conclusion

Installing SQL Server may seem complex, but with the right steps, it’s quite beginner-friendly. Now that you have SQL Server installed, you’re ready to explore backup strategies, monitoring tools, and performance tuning.

Next article:
“Post-Installation Checklist Every SQL Server DBA Should Follow”